Aleena Anderson

Why did you choose Oregon Tech?

My senior year in high school I researched the different schools in Oregon that offered engineering majors. After I discovered the Renewable Energy Engineering degree at Oregon Tech, I knew I wanted to be a part of it. The degree is forward thinking and provides education to develop clean energy sources to power our future. I want a career that that will benefit society, and clean alternative energy sources will do just that!

What do you like best about your major?

The REE program provides a broad knowledge in different engineering curriculum to form a well-rounded basis in both mechanical and electrical engineering. To expand my focus I decided to get a dual major in Electrical Engineering. Both of these majors have allowed me to get a lot of hands-on learning experience in the lab using various types of equipment. This experience will be beneficial and translate to my career, which I start next year.

What would be your dream job in your major?

My dream job would be to work for a company devoted to power production from purely renewable energy sources. Whether it be wave, wind, solar thermal, geothermal, or biomass it sparks my interest. The opportunity to help provide clean, renewable energy and replace unsustainable forms of power generation would be my perfect job.

What’s your favorite thing to do off campus?

When I have time off from school I like to spend it working on my senior project. I am building a biomass gasifier to convert waste organic material into usable energy on a small scale, just enough energy to power a reasonably sized home!

What’s your most memorable moment on campus?

In my electrical power conversions class my teammates and I struggled to get a working Pulse Width Modulator. We spent many hours changing our circuit and manipulating the design with little success at first, but when we finally got the design to work, we were able to complete our DC-DC converter. There is something special about seeing your hard work pay off and using our new oscilloscopes to do it was a plus!